October 06, 2017

USC Medical School - Branding, Again Takes a Hit

Many are familiar with the Carmen Puliafito scandal at USC Keck School of Medicine.

When he had been dean, he had been involved in inappropriate off-duty fun.

During one event a former prostitute overdosed from drugs. He stepped down.

After that, the powers that be at the Medical School promised to do more careful vetting. Well, it turns out they didn't. Again, a dean has to step down.

As The LA Times reports, Rohit Varma had been hired to replace Puliafito. That was even though his personnel file had a note about inappropriate behavior toward a female around 2003. Back then he had been a professor at USC.

For that earlier indiscretion, Varma had been formally disciplined. Yet, he was still selected as dean.

USC overall and the Keck School of Medicine will have to engage in an intense rebranding initiative to restore trust.